How to Wash Windows Without Streaks

Using a squeegee allows you to remove all excess water.

Washing windows can be a big job, and finding dirty streaks running down your freshly cleaned panes can make it seem like a wasted effort. When water dries on the glass, the lingering dirt, detergent or minerals in the water remain behind, leaving visible streaks. To prevent this, you must remove all the water from the glass as you clean. Another trick is not to use more detergent than you need, as it's easier to remove water from the windows than excess soap.

1

Pour 1 gallon of warm water into a bucket. Mix in 1 teaspoon of dish-washing liquid. Dip a sponge or scrubber in the solution, and squeeze out most of the excess liquid.

2

Wipe the window with the solution, making sure to cover the entire glass pane. If the solution isn't strong enough to dislodge the dirt on the glass, add another 1/2 teaspoon of detergent and try again.

3

Place the end of a squeegee blade against one of the upper corners of the window so about 1 inch of the squeegee is touching the glass. Pull the squeegee downward to clean the 1-inch strip of glass by the window frame.

4

Set the squeegee vertically in the same corner, this time with the entire length of the blade contacting the glass in the dry strip. Pull the squeegee horizontally across the top section of the window. To prevent streaks, make sure the top end of the squeegee never lifts off the glass.

5

Clean the squeegee on a towel. This removes excess water, soap and dirt that would leave streaks later.

6

Set the squeegee back in the dry strip on the side of the window to prepare to clean the next section down. The top of the squeegee should extend about 2 inches into the section you already dried. Before you pull the squeegee across the window, twist it about 15 degrees toward the center of the pane. Having the squeegee on an angle helps prevent streaking, and this twisting motion cleans the 15-degree section near the frame that you would miss if you simply set the squeegee at an angle from the beginning.

7

Pull the squeegee across the window. Clean it on the towel, reset it for the next section down and repeat the process. Continue this way until you reach the sill at the bottom.

8

Dry the window sill and the bottom of the frame with the towel. Use a clean rag to dry the vertical edges of the window.

9

Clean the opposite side of the window using the same techniques, but make your initial dry strip across the top of the pane and clean the window vertically rather than horizontally. This way, if you miss any spots or do leave a streak, you can tell which side of the window to revisit by the direction of the squeegee stroke.

Things You Will Need

Bucket

Dish-washing liquid

Sponge or scrubber

Squeegee

Towel

Rag

Tip

Clean windows when the sun isn't shining directly on them. Sunlight dries the glass too quickly for you to clean it easily.

If you prefer to use distilled white vinegar instead of dish-washing liquid, use 4 tablespoons of vinegar for each gallon of water.

Choose a squeegee of a suitable size for your windows. If you have large, single-pane windows, choose a 12-inch squeegee; if you have French windows or other small panes, choose a 6-inch or smaller squeegee.